Why I’m Proud To Be A Woman! Amen, Sister!

I have always loved womanhood, but recently I experienced how something incredible changes inside you once you’ve grown a little human being in your tummy. Once you’ve grown him big and strong, feeding him from the miraculous abilities of your female body.

Now, it is important for me to clear something up before I inadvertently offend with my outpouring of pride. To my fellow females who either don’t have/don’t want/can’t have kids and also to my formula-feeding friends–I certainly do not discount your womanhood or your right to be proud. I simply want to celebrate here, how freaking awesome it is that we even have thesecapabilities, aswomen.

These bodies of ours are simply amazing. They can perform miracles that our husbands, boyfriends, brothers, and fathers couldn’t accomplish if they tried. So that’s definitely something to be proud of!

Women–no matter our birthplaces, beliefs, or backgrounds–have a universal understanding of each other. We go through a lot, as women; be it those awkward hormone-filled years we navigate while crossing over into womanhood itself, or the roller-coaster ride that is motherhood, for those of us who do end up becoming moms.

Regardless of whether we have children or not, there are plenty of other pressures, too. We get asked all kinds of questions, daily, as if we somehow owe people explanations for our personal lives. For our roles. And whether or not we are filling those roles to the satisfaction of everyone else. Questions like:

When are you going to get married?

Why don’t you have kids?

When are you going to have kids?

Now that you are pregnant, are you going to quit your job and stay home with your baby?

When are you going to have more kids?

Who watches your kids while you are at work?

What do you do all day while you are home with those kids?

Ok, ok–that’s a long enough list.

Ladies–I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that we get plenty of pressure and scrutiny from the outside world. I think it goes without saying that women should be a united front, but so often, we spar over the most insignificant things! And for what? I still can’t believe that “mommy wars” are actually a thing. I also REALLY can’t believe we drew a hard line in the sand between the words Nasty and Deplorable, but some of us did that, too.

Seriously, ladies.

There are plenty of aspects of womanhood that are pretty crummy; most notably our still-less-than-equal position in the world (and periods, need I say more?).

But womanhood is also amazing. Women are intuitive, compassionate, and nurturing as much as we are capable and strong. I’m convinced we have a higher pain tolerance than men, whether science can back it or not, and we are tougher than nails. (Hello, childbirth, and oh yeah–the fact that there’s no such thing as a “woman-cold”.)

But as for my personal favorite part of womanhood?

I love the fact that it is such a sisterhood.

We are all in this together, ladies. Through the good, the bad, and the ugly. The highs and the lows. No matter whether or not you are someone’s mama, no matter who you voted for on November 8th, 2016; no matter your position on breastfeeding or birth control or daycare or God.

We all have two X chromosomes and estrogen pumping through our veins. That already unites us.

I may not agree with you on everything, my fellow female, but if you stand for something, and speak your heart on whatever it is you are passionate about? Then I have two words for you:

Amen,sister.

We could all stand to hear (and say) those two words a little more often.

If men get to have “locker room talk,” then we need our own, positive version. It doesn’t even need a cute name; we can just agree on an unspoken understanding that womenhaveeachother’s backs. We get torn down enough as it is; let’s agree that we, the female community, will ONLY build each other up.

It may be a man’s world, but women make up (darn near) 50% of the world’s population. So let’s change that first statement. Let’s keep working to make it every bit as much a woman’s world.

I’m not saying saying let’s all burn our bras–we’ve tried that already. (And personally, I would like to keep my wonderbra, thankyouverymuch.)

What I am saying is this: Let’s support each other’s endeavors; let’s edify our sisters and girlfriends and female coworkers. And most importantly; let’s teach our daughters and nieces and granddaughters how to kick ass and take names.

I hope when you read that, you say,

Amen, sister.

The next time you disagree with another gal about something, maybe just simply say Amen, sister. More power to you.

Make these two words a high-five, a white flag, a back pat, or a simple statement of solidarity. Champion your fellow female, and she will champion you right back.

About the author

Erika Wilson

Erika Wilson is a Montana farm girl who married a Nebraska farm boy who came with the bonus of three adorable sons! She loves being a step-mama, but last year they added their own little boy—Hank—to the mix, and her dreams of being a mama herself came true. Holding her Masters in Elementary Education, she plans to go back into teaching when Hank goes off to school. Currently she spends her coffee-fueled days as a building manager, and her nights writing (when the baby is actually sleeping). Erika chronicles the beautiful chaos that is mamahood at her blog the https://tiredmamaproject.com/ When she isn’t writing leases or chasing kids; she loves singing in her church’s band The Grateful, Live; and simply enjoying blessed Montana life on the farm with the man of her dreams.

8 Comments

Erika You are a glowing example of what’s right and glorious and perfectly perfect about being a woman! You are my sister in arms, a pea in my pod and a pure joy to adore! The last two lines of your piece said everything and I implore women everywhere to follow your outstanding advice and champion one another. If we don’t do it no one will. If we do my goodness I can’t even fathom where we could end up! Love you!

Lisa my dear friend, thank you so much for reading and sharing my sentiments!! We really do have to support each other with all the tearing down that goes on in our world, and you are the best champion of other women I have ever met!! I am so blessed to know you and love you right back! Thanks for being my champion, too!